By Construction on Suggitt’s Lane footbridge “affecting residents’ sleep and causing homes to shake”
A Cleethorpes resident has spoken out as construction on the new Suggitt’s Lane footbridge has reportedly resulted in sleep disturbances for local residents, along with causing people’s homes to rattle and vibrate as the work is carried out.
The resident – who does not wish to be named – lives 25 yards from the new accessible bridge, and told Gi Media how the construction work begins at midnight and continues until 5am, when trains start running.
She claims residents have not received a timetable of the work or any ongoing communication from Network Rail regarding the work on the Suggitt’s Lane footbridge, apart from one letter which was sent out at the end of September.
She said: “Workers are using equipment including heavy vibration compacting equipment which sent shockwaves through our house to the extent that the woodburning stove was rattling during the work being done.
“They start work at midnight when trains stop running and continue until 5am until trains commence, sometimes mid-week and sometimes weekends.”
The letter residents received from Network Rail
After the plans on the new Suggitt’s Lane footbridge were approved by North East Lincolnshire Council, the work began onsite in June, and the entire project is expected to be completed in December.
The £3.6 million project, funded by Network Rail and the Department for Transport, will provide a new access point to the seafront, after the crossing was closed suddenly to the public in April 2019 for safety reasons.
The resident claims she has to wake up for 5am for work, and feels “very let down” by the alleged lack of communication from Network Rail.
She continued: “We had no notice given from Network Rail, apart from a weekend at the end of September. Not that it would help, when I get up at 5am for work.
“My husband sometimes works from home and has been disturbed to the extent of the workers knocking on our living room window to ask to move his car so the cement truck can get to the site.
“Our neighbours on both sides all have been disturbed – but when I complained I was given a Network Rail helpline card.
“I understand the work has to be carried out, but with Network Rail not providing us with some kind of timetable, we can’t plan and go to bed with windows closed and earplugs in. I just feel very let down. There’s been no consideration for the residents at all.”
Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail, said: “We’ve made major progress on the project to install an accessible footbridge at Suggitt’s Lane and I’d like to thank residents for their continued patience.
“We know there is never a good time to carry out improvements on the railway near resident’s houses and we are working to minimise the disruption for people in the area as much as possible.
“We’ve communicated with the local community via a number of different channels throughout the engagement, planning and construction phases of the project. We will continue to do this during the final stages of work until the project is completed later this year.
“If any residents want additional information about specific elements of the project, we would encourage them to contact our national helpline on 0345 711 4141.”
